The 10 Best Appliances for a Plant-Based Kitchen, According to VegNews Editors

A plant-based diet can be a humble affair. After all, some of the most basic meals are already vegan: beans and rice, roasted sweet potatoes and your choice of sauce, peanut butter and jelly—the list goes on. These meals are solid basics to keep in your rotation, but some days, we crave a bit more pizazz. With a little more prep work and elbow grease, vegans can enjoy a vast array of culinary creations, from next-level pasta dishes to fusion favorites. 

RELATED: The Best Carbon Steel Cookware for Plant-Based Cooking, From Budget to Chef-Quality

So how exactly do you make perfectly seared mushroom scallops, picture-perfect smoothie bowls, homemade almond milk, and more? It’s all about the equipment. Add these essential appliances and cookware to your kitchen wishlist to save money, cut down on prep time, and easily cook like a pro.

Kitchen essentials for home cooks

Stock your kitchen with these essential tools to make home cooking a breeze. 

Vitamix

1 High-speed blender

Make no mistake: there is a gargantuan difference between the standard $29.99 blender and the power of a high-speed Vitamix. Think of the standard blender as a Smart Car engine, while the Vitamix is akin to the engine of a Ferrari. Although this tool is an investment, you will likely find yourself using it every day to make soups, sauces, smoothies, and sweet treats.

Pro tip: Soften the sticker shock by looking for a certified refurbished high-speed blender on Amazon. They’re trustworthy and relatively less expensive. Once you’ve made your purchase, whip up this wonderfully decadent sweet potato mousse.
Shop Vitamix

Cuisinart

2Food processor

Even with a high-speed blender, it is recommended to have a food processor on hand. You’ll find the food processor essential for making cauliflower rice, nut butters, salsa, raw dessert crusts, pie dough, and veggie-based loaves and burgers.

Pro tip: Use your processor to meal prep batches of cauliflower rice to accompany your weeknight bowls, or blend up these vegan lentil meatballs for a savory meatball stroganoff.
Shop Amazon

Ninja

3Air-fryer

While not the most compact of appliances, the air-fryer deserves a permanent place on your kitchen countertop. You’ll quickly make room for it after experiencing its transformative cooking abilities. Not only does it make food perfectly light and crispy without any oil, the air-fryer also significantly cuts down on your cooking time. You can have thick potato wedges, “fried” tofu, toothsome Brussels sprouts, and even small batch baked goods—all in about 20 minutes or less. The oven just can’t compete.

Pro tip: Check out these air-fryer-friendly recipes to make everything from appetizers to entrées and desserts. For even more air-fryer options, check out the best air-fryers for vegan cooking. 
Shop Amazon

KitchenAid

4Stand mixer

This multi-purpose kitchen gadget is essential, especially for avid home bakers. Whip up cookie doughs, cake batters, whipped creams, and frostings in a flash. Not much of a baker? A stand mixer can also help perfect pizza doughs and mashed potatoes. This is a quality investment for homes of any size, but it can significantly cut prep time when cooking for larger parties. 

Pro tip: KitchenAid stand mixers typically run upwards of $300, but they’re worth the investment. Made to last, the brand also sells specialized attachments that will help you make everything from fresh pasta to shave ice, curly fries, spiralized vegetables, and so much more.
Shop Amazon

Lodge

5Cast-iron skillet

Treat this pan well and you’ll have it forever. From expertly seared tofu and mushrooms to perfect pancakes, a cast iron skillet is an essential tool for any home or professional cook. It’s the ultimate non-stick pan—without the questionable coatings of other commercial skillets that claim to be “non-stick.” Cast irons are also oven-safe and double as an excellent baking dish for everything from cornbreads to cobblers.

Pro tip: Learn how to break in and care for your skillet with our handy guide, then try out your new kitchen tool with this amazing Vegan Cherry Skillet Cobbler.
Shop Amazon

Getty

6Instant Pot

The Instant Pot may not seem like a crucial kitchen appliance for those who have not experienced its magical cooking powers, but once you try it, you’ll never want to live without. This device is especially useful for those who have little patience for meal time. With an Instant Pot (or pressure cooker), you can have full meals on the table in under 20 minutes. It also makes batch cooking and meal prep a breeze.

Pro tip: From beans to quinoa to one-pot-wonders, this quick cooker can do it all. Peruse our favorites and get recipe inspo with our guide to Instant Pots.
Shop Amazon

Cosori

7Electric kettle

Why boil water over the stovetop when you can use an electric kettle instead? Electric kettles achieve rapid boil much faster than the average stove, and depending on the model, kettles can keep water hot for up to an hour—this means you can free up time and precious stovetop space with this small kitchen appliance.

Pro tip: Use an electric kettle to heat water for everything from coffee to matcha and even instant ramen. A temperature controlled kettle, like this one from Cosori, comes with preset temperature options for different applications so you can make the perfect cup of joe (or green tea!). 
Shop Amazon

Maestri

8Handheld milk frother

Black coffee isn’t for everyone—in fact, we argue it’s not for most people. If you gravitate toward coffee shop drinks crafted with cloudy foams, equipping your kitchen with a handheld milk frother will allow you to make café-style drinks in your very own home. The easy cleanup and compact size make this a no-brainer. 

Pro tip: Experiment with both cold and hot foams. Get creative with flavored syrups and sauces for artisanal, foam-topped lattes. 
Shop Amazon

Brieftons

9Spiralizer

From spiralized butternut squash to classic zoodles (zucchini noodles), you can now find veggie spirals prepackaged in most grocery stores. Save yourself a few dollars and make your own noodles. A handheld spiralizer is inexpensive but somewhat limited to zucchini and other small cylindrical produce. If you desire the ability to spiralize anything under the sun, invest in a countertop spiralizer. While a bit more costly, these models often come with different attachments that can take on the most bulbous of squashes. Handheld or countertop, you’ll have handmade, ready-to-eat plant noodles in a flash, without boiling a pot of water!

Pro tip: Plant noodles pair perfectly with a medley of sauces to create an easy, instant meal. Try this Sweet Potato Alfredo recipe for a lighter take on this classic dish. To make these hearty noodles with little grunt work, the 10-blade option from Brieftons will do well by this dense veggie.
Shop Amazon

Wayfair

10Bamboo steamer basket

Once you know your way around a bamboo steamer basket, you’ll never look back. Unlike microwave steamer baskets, this handy tool allows you to steam food in multiple layers. They are also essential for cooking homemade wontons or buns, and they work wonders with tamales.

Pro tip: Be sure to line the bottom of the steamer basket with parchment paper or banana or cabbage leaves so the food does not stick, then, try this recipe for vegan dumplings.
Shop Amazon